The University of Florida

Date: Nov 10 2007
Major: Language - French/Spanish/etc. (This Major's Salary over time)
I am a second-year student pursuing dual degrees in Spanish and Communication Sciences and Disorders. For those of you who don't know, CSD involves the study of speech, hearing, and language processes/disorders. It is basically the undergrad step to a degree in speech-language pathology (speech therapy) or audiology.

The CSD dept. at UF is wonderful. It is full of fantastic professors who are enthusiastic about the field and force you to get involved with the community for their classes. They get very involved in their research, so sometimes it is hard to arrange to meet with them, but that also means there are lots of opportunities to get involved with research here. That's pretty true for the university as a whole.

I'm less satisfied with the Spanish dept. I do like that I have had the opportunity to choose among a linguistics focus, a literature focus, or a combination (I chose linguistics), but I've found that the professors don't encourage as much discussion as I would like, making it hard for me to actually practice my Spanish in class.

Fortunately, I have been able to practice through study abroad. The UF International Center has tons of programs available. Don't think you can't afford to study abroad or won't be able to find the right program, because there are many options. Talk to UFIC about it!

The best thing about UF is the sense of pride, school spirit, and community. HOWEVER, on game days, almost all the parking goes to alumni, and lots of streets shut down.